Standard operating procedure - palliative care

Aim: The aim of the research was to determine the fulfilment of the standard operating procedure – “Care of patients with increased risk levelˮ incorporating the JCI AOP 1.7 standard “Patients and their loved ones are investigated and reinvestigated due to their individualized needsˮ by healthcare professionals of the selected healthcare facility. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: A quantitative survey was selected for data collection. The data were obtained through structured interviews with selected healthcare professionals from the designated facilities conducted by hospital management and recorded in writing in a pre-prepared record sheet. The research sample consisted of 78 respondents, of whom 36 were physicians and 42 were nurses, from 14 facilities. The research was conducted from 15. 1. – 31. 12. 2018. Results: From the interviews, we found that respondents regarded terminal patients and their loved ones holistically, but failed to record the information obtained. We also found that there was no difference in the evaluation of the patient and his / her loved ones according to the profession of the respondents, the length of their medical practice, or their workplace. In terms of the respondentsʼ workplace, there was no difference in perceptions of the quality of palliative care provided in the selected hospital. Conclusion: Respondents perceive patients holistically and they are assessed as a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual unit, and their loved ones are included in the assessment. However, the information obtained is not fully documented in written form.